Two days of heavy rains have positioned several area rivers to go above flood stage soon.
The National Weather Service has issued river-based flood warnings for the Cottonwood RIver at Emporia as well as the Neosho at both Emporia and Neosho Rapids. This follows 5 inches of rain in Emporia since early Monday.
Cottonwood at Emporia: Warning until Thursday evening. River will go from 8 pm level of 17.5 feet past the 20-foot flood stage before midnight and may crest at 21.6 feet Wednesday morning. The river may go below flood stage Thursday morning. The river was at around 7 feet from 8 pm Monday to around 2 pm Tuesday before rising rapidly.
Neosho at Emporia; Warning from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday afternoon. River will go from 8 pm stage of 13.2 feet past the 19-foot flood stage by Wednesday afternoon and crest at 19.8 feet early Thursday. River should go below flood stage Thursday morning.
Neosho at Neosho Rapids: Warning from Tuesday night until Friday evening. River will go from 7:30 pm stage of 18.8 feet past the 22-foot flood stage to a crest of 24.9 fet early Thursday. River may go below flood stage Friday morning.
These warnings dovetail with an existing river-based warning near Reading.
*Marais des Cygnes near Reading: Flood warning until Wednesday afternoon. River is currently at 15.5 feet. It could rise above 19-foot flood stage by early Wednesday and could rise to 19.5 feet by Wednesday morning. River could return below flood stage before noon Wednesday.
County-specific flood warnings continue as well.
Central Lyon County, northwest Coffey County and most of Osage County are under a flash flood warning until 10:15 pm. This includes Emporia, Americus, Neosho Rapids, Olpe, Reading, Lebo and Osage City.
Southeast Lyon County, most of Coffey County and southeast Osage County are in a separate flash flood warning until 10:30 pm. This warning box includes Hartford, Burlington, Gridley, John Redmond Reservoir, Le Roy, New Strawn and Waverly.
Chase and Greenwood counties are in a flood warning until 11:15 pm.
Flash flood watches continue for Lyon and all surrounding counties until Wednesday evening.
Emporia streets closed by flooding earlier Tuesday have reopened. However, more Lyon County road closures have developed after sunset.
Lyon County
*Road 145 east of Road F
*Road 150 from C to F; from Kansas Highway 99 west to J and east to M; from N to R
*Road 160 from G-5 to H
*Road 170 from F to G
*Road 190 from K to L
*Road 240 at G
*Road A from 170 to 180
*Road C north of 150
*Road D north of 150
*Road E north of 150
*Road G from 160 to 170
*Road H from 160 to 165
*Road H north of 140
*Road J to 160
*Road J (Prairie Street) from West 30th (Road 190) to Road 215
*Road P north of 140 and north of 150
*Road R from 150 north to 160
The Lyon County Highway Department has announced the reopening of a few roads.
*Road 200 from U to V
*Road 215 from J to J-7
*Road 240 from D to F
*Road 170 from G to F
Additional road closures may develop after sunset, and there may well be roads closed across the KVOE listening area that are not currently listed. If you run into roads that have water over them, turn around to avoid problems. Authorities say it takes six inches of fast-running water to knock over an adult. Most vehicles float in two feet of rushing water, and small cars can float in a foot of rushing water.
Also, authorities urge you to heed barricades that may be posted at the various road closure sites. Besides putting yourself and rescue personnel in danger, you also face fines and court costs for disobeying the barricades.
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates on the severe weather and flooding potential. Make sure to follow us on Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews for instant alerts. If you have rain totals or road flooding reports from Tuesday, call KVOE at 342-1400, email kvoe@kvoe.com or text the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
5:15 pm Tuesday: Flash flood warnings posted for Lyon, Coffey, Osage counties as streets close in and around Emporia
Flash flood warnings now cover much of the KVOE listening area, including Emporia, after 5 inches of rain in town since early Monday.
Central Lyon County, northwest Coffey County and most of Osage County are under a flash flood warning until 10:15 pm. This includes Emporia, Americus, Neosho Rapids, Olpe, Reading, Lebo and Osage City.
Southeast Lyon County, most of Coffey County and southeast Osage County are in a separate flash flood warning until 10:30 pm. This warning box includes Hartford, Burlington, Gridley, John Redmond Reservoir, Le Roy, New Strawn and Waverly.
These flash flood warnings coincide with county-specific flood warnings for Chase and Greenwood counties until 11:15 pm and southeast Coffey County until 7:15 pm.
River-based flood warnings are also up:
*Marais des Cygnes near Reading: Flood warning until Wednesday afternoon. River is currently at 14.4 feet. It could rise above 19-foot flood stage by early Wednesday and could rise to 19.5 feet by Wednesday morning. River could return below flood stage before noon Wednesday.
All area counties are covered by flash flood watches through Wednesday evening.
One signal of the flood warnings in Lyon County has been road closures, both in and out of Emporia:
Emporia
*600 block West
*1300 and 1400 blocks Prairie
*1400 block East 12th
*12th Avenue to Whildin
*Whildin to 10th
*South Avenue between Las Casitas Park and Prairie
Lyon County
*Road 150 from C to F; from Kansas Highway 99 west to J and east to M; from N to R
*Road 170 from F to G
*Road 215 from J to J-7
*Road 240 at G
*Road C north of 150
*Road D north of 150
*Road E north of 150
*Road J (Prairie Street) from West 30th (Road 190) to Road 215
*Road P north of 140 and north of 150
*Road R from 150 north to 160
2:15 pm Tuesday: Road closures develop as Emporia 2-day rain total passes 4 inches
Four inches of rain the past two days is causing issues in and around Emporia.
In town, the list or street or intersection closures is short — currently involving Seventh and West. Out of Emporia, though, the list is lengthening:
*Road 150 from C to F; from Kansas Highway 99 west to J and east to M; from N to R
*Road 170 from F to G
*Road C north of 150
*Road D north of 150
*Road E north of 150
*Road P north of 140 and north of 150
*Road R from 150 north to 160
*Road J from the City limits (W 30th Ave) North to Road 215
*Road 215 from Road J to J7
*South Avenue, west of Las Casitas Park
The closures follow 3.1 inches of rain at the KVOE studios since midnight and 4.7 inches total since early Monday.
11:45 am Tuesday: Flood warnings posted for parts of Coffey, Greenwood counties as rain totals rise; street ponding becoming common in Emporia
Flooding is becoming an issue in Emporia and elsewhere across the KVOE listening area as Tuesday continues.
In Emporia, street ponding has forced the closure of West South at Prairie Street. Ponding is also evident along East 12th from Commercial to Whildin.
Flash flood watches continue areawide through Wednesday evening. Separate county-specific flood warnings have now been posted near Emporia. One is now up for southern Greenwood County, including Eureka, until 6:45 pm. Another affects southeast Coffey County, including LeRoy, until 7:15 pm.
If you have rain totals from Tuesday morning, call KVOE at 342-1400, email kvoe@kvoe.com or text the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863. If you report Tuesday’s total, please also report any Monday totals you may have available.
8 am Tuesday: Heavy rain likely, strong storms possible Tuesday; lightning hits Greenwood County tank battery
Heavy rain is likely and strong storms are a possibility as Tuesday continues.
Already, we have had 0.9 inches of rain at the KVOE studios since midnight, meaning we have picked up 2.5 inches of rain this week. Other areas, especially in Chase County, had that much rain just Monday. Area totals:
*Allen: 0.50 inches today, 1.9 inches this week
*Americus: 0.50 inches today, 2.3 inches this week
*Hartford: 0.65 inches today, 1.35 inches this week
*Lake Kahola: 0.5 inches today, 2.1 inches this week
*Reading: 0.80 inches Tuesday, 2.55 inches this week
Flash flood watches continue areawide through Wednesday evening.
The rain from Tuesday morning makes it tougher for severe weather to develop, although it doesn’t take out the risk entirely. The KVOE listening area is in a slight risk of severe weather starting by mid-afternoon, and Meyers says all hazards are possible if severe weather develops with hail and high winds the main threats. The storm risk could well diminish by mid-evening, if not sooner.
Speaking of storm risks, lightning apparently struck a tank battery in northeast Greenwood County early Tuesday morning. The battery at 330th Road and GG Road, about five miles southeast of Lamont and at least 10 miles southeast of Madison, was reported as fully engulfed in flames around 6:20 am. Firefighters got the blaze out shortly before 7 am. An official damage amount has not been released.
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates on the severe weather and flooding potential. Make sure to follow us on Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews for instant alerts. If you have rain totals from Tuesday morning, call KVOE at 342-1400, email kvoe@kvoe.com or text the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
